MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The George Mason baseball team scored a run in the first inning to take an early lead over West Virginia, but the Mountaineers used a five-run seventh on the way to a 5-3 win over the Patriots on Friday in the ninth annual Caravelle Resort Tournament at TicketReturn.com Field in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Mason (2-2) wasted little time denting the scoreboard against Mountaineers starter B.J. Myers.  With one out in the top of the first, junior Michael Smith belted his first collegiate home run, a solo blast that sailed over the right field fence 335 feet away to give the Patriots a 1-0 advantage.

Mason has scored the first run of the game three times in the first four contests of the season.

West Virginia (2-2) threatened in the bottom of the first against Mason starter Tyler Zombro.  With runners on first and second with two outs, Mountaineers sophomore Cole Austin sent a drive to deep right field, where Mason junior Tyler Nelin made a spectacular diving catch to end the inning.

The Mountaineers took the lead for good in the seventh inning against Patriot's sophomore Bryce Nightengale, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring five runs on four hits and two walks.  After West Virginia loaded the bases, a walk forced in a run to tie the game 1-1.

Cole then drove in three runs with a bases-clearing triple to right field to put the Mountaineers in front 4-1.  West Virginia sophomore Marques Inman followed with a RBI double to the wall in center field to increase the lead to 5-1.

The Mountaineers scored all five of their runs in the inning with two outs before Mason senior Ryan Galvin recorded the final out of the inning.

Mason freshman Logan Driscoll began the ninth with a leadoff walk.  With two outs in the inning, Nelin hammered a two-run home run over the left field wall to cut the West Virginia lead to 5-3, but the rally fell short.

The Patriots scored three runs on five hits, while the Mountaineers scored five runs on 10 hits.  Mason had just two runners in scoring position in the game and West Virginia went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Smith went 2-for-4 and now has six hits in the first four games of the season.  Nelin was 1-for-3 with two RBI and hit a home run for the second straight game.  He leads the Patriots with nine RBI and has driven in at least two runs in all four games of the season.

Sophomore Greg Popatak II and classmate Alejandro Aponte each added a hit for Mason, with Popatak connecting for his third double of the year.

Zombro (0-1) allowed six singles, struck out six and didn't walk a batter over 6.0 innings in the no-decision.  After allowing three singles to the first four batters he faced in the game, Zombro retired 12 of the next 14 batters he faced into the fifth inning.  He threw 95 pitches, 65 for strikes in the outing.

Junior Timothy Turner made his first appearance on the hill this season for the Patriots and retired all three batters he faced in the ninth.

Myers (1-1) allowed one run on four hits and struck out seven over 7.0 innings of work to earn the win for the Mountaineers.  He retired 13 of 14 batters after allowing the first inning home run to Smith.

Mason resumes play in the Caravelle Resort Tournament on Saturday with a doubleheader against Ball State.  The first pitch for game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. at TicketReturn.com Field in Myrtle Beach, S.C.